Mazda prides itself on building cars that are fun to drive, and the Mazda MX-5 roadster, also known as the Mazda Miata, has been the purest expression of that principle for several decades. The original MX-5 was a huge hit when it was first released in 1989, and now Mazda has completely redesigned the roadster using the original version as an inspiration.

I had the opportunity to drive the all-new 2016 MX-5 on some incredible mountain roads just north of Los Angeles as Mazda introduced the new vehicle to the press, and it was by far one of the most enjoyable driving experiences I’ve had in the past several years. I had a smile planted on my face all day as I pushed the MX-5 through challenging turns through the scenic mountain roads. The MX-5 is a fine-tuned machine that will impress anyone who still appreciates the driving experience.

Exterior

Browse through the photos of the new MX-5 and you’ll see design that matches the impressive driving experience. After years of making incremental changes, the look of the MX-5 had grown a bit stale. It looked adequate but hardly inspiring.

Mazda went back to the drawing board and came up with a beautiful, modern design featuring sharp lines and curves worthy of this iconic roadster. I particularly liked the red Miata we tested with the black wheels.

Mazda designers created a lower and sleeker profile, giving the impression of a vehicle gripping the road, which perfectly represents the sensation you feel when driving the MX-5.

Mazda adapted its KODO – Soul of Motion design language to the MX-5. KODO is defined by a long hood, short overhangs, a cropped cabin pushed far back on the body and large wheels moved as far as feasible towards all four corners. The smaller scale of the Miata roadster presented a challenge but the result is a vehicle that looks beautiful from all angles. It looks powerful and agile and you can’t wait to drive it as soon as you see it.

Interior

With the interior, Mazda focused on the details that would enhance comfort and the driving experience. The new, patented seats are super thin and hug you like a hammock, providing a snug and comfortable feel even as you push the MX-5 through curves. These seats are unlike anything I’ve tested in other vehicles. I drove the MX-5 for several hours through some fun and challenging roads and felt perfectly comfortable the entire time.

Mazda made other improvements to the interior as well, adding some headroom and making other changes that added necessary room for larger drivers. The soft top is easy to operate while seated

Performance

There is such a thing as too much power. That may not be true if you’re only concerned with the straight-line speed of a muscle car, but it’s certainly true if you want amazing handling on mountain roads. The new MX-5 features a 155 horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, but the key to this roadster’s performance is the weight balance that gives it the amazing handling around corners coupled with the right amount of power for the size of the vehicle. Pros and amateurs alike will thoroughly enjoy pushing the MX-5 on challenging roads. Toss in a flawless shifter in the 6-speed manual and you have a roadster you can enjoy for years.

With an emphasis on aluminum in the body construction, the reduced weight leads to very impressive fuel economy as well. Mazda achieved an impressive 25% improvement in fuel economy over the previous generation, as the six-speed automatic models are EPA-rated at 27 mpg city/36 mpg highway.

Overview

The all new MX-5 is beautiful, affordable and very fun to drive. What more can you want from a roadster? If driving still matters to you, this is a car you definitely want to test drive.

At our drive event with Mazda, I also had the opportunity to drive one of the original 1989 Miatas. It drove home the point that the Mazda team was inspired to live up to the reputation created decades ago, and I can say with confidence they achieved their goal.

Hot summer days demand drop-top cars to truly enjoy this time of year in the Midwest, and the 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata answered the call for us. We drove and drove the MX-5, soaking up everything this car and the summer breeze had to offer, and never left the wheel disappointed. After a week of driving, it’s no wonder to us that the MX-5 is still by far the best-selling two-seat roadster in the world.

EXTERIOR

The MX-5 Miata was developed primarily for the North American market, and throughout the vehicle’s history, the region has come through to remain dominant in global sales. Available with two distinctive and easy-to-operate head wraps, the 2014 MX-5 Miata comes standard with a Z-fold design soft-top or an industry-leading Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) as tested. The soft top, available on all trim levels, continues to set the industry standard with its simplicity and ease of use. With a central latch handle, the top requires only a simple hand motion to fold and stow behind the seats. The top itself descends into a cleverly designed storage well, thus leaving the 5.3 cubic feet of cargo space completely untouched.

An available option on Club and Grand Touring trims only, the PRHT is stored in the same manner as the soft top, again not affecting storage space. Designed to perform in any climate, PRHT models outsell soft-top models by a 4:1 ratio worldwide. Using a single-button operation, the PRHT offers one of the fastest power-operated open-and-close cycles for a hard top in North America at an efficiently expedient 12 seconds.

We went into our testing of the 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT knowing that it’s a very small car and the cabin space is tight. What Mazda does with that space, however, is next to miraculous, as they turn such a small area into a vibrant cockpit. An issue for some could be entering and exiting the MX-5, as it can be challenging. The Club package bolsters the interior with a body color-matching decoration panel featuring trim-specific graphics. Red contrast stitching is featured on the black cloth seats. In Sport models, black upholstery with black stitching is standard, while leather seats are standard in Grand Touring models in either black or spicy mocha. Sport and Grand Touring models have a dark gray decoration panel. Our test model boasted a tilt leather steering wheel, power door lock and windows, rear center console storage, mesh aero board and remote keyless entry system.

When the top comes down, you all of sudden feel like space was just created and the sky opens up. In a car like the 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT, it’s a totally different experience with the top down.

PERFORMANCE

At the heart of the 2014 MX-5 remains the highly-responsive MZR 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine with an output of 167 horsepower at 7,000 rpm with 140 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. Automatic-equipped models feature the same torque output but produce 158 horsepower at 6,700 rpm. The sophisticated, sturdy engine is light and compact, offering a strong performance and unmatched responsiveness for its nearly 50:50 weight distribution of the already lean roadster. With a 7,200-rpm redline (6,700 rpm in automatics), the flexible engine delivers driving exhilaration throughout the rev range. Reacting to driving commands with lightning-quick reflexes and progressive power delivery are linear keys to the MX-5’s stellar driving controls. A thrilling engine growl adds to the already intoxicating joy of the MX-5’s handling capabilities.

The lightweight plastic composite intake manifold itself has been designed to transmit certain frequencies to match the original sports car tone while suppressing less ideal sounds. The 2014 MX-5 models with six-speed manual transmissions are equipped with an Induction Sound Enhancer (ISE). Consisting of a series of tuned pipes and a passive resonance membrane, the ISE delivers the engine’s natural induction sound to the cowl, just ahead of the windshield, so more attractive engine sounds can be heard at a satisfying volume without resorting to simply being loud, obtrusive noise.

The front double wishbone suspension delivers a dynamic drive that impresses while both eating up bumps in the road and tackling corners with ease. Fuel efficiency is respectable but not stellar, coming in at 21mpg in the city and 28mpg in highway driving.

OVERVIEW

The MX-5 Miata is as uncomplicated and pure as a sports car can get. Since the two-seater entered the marketplace more than 20 years ago, the MX-5 has defied the convention that sports cars are only for those with very high incomes. Could the MX-5 be the one sports car that can truly be attained by the working American? At a sticker price as tested of $29,460, the answer is clear.

The looks of the 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT are unmistakable and distinctive on the road, but also out shines much more expensive options for car buyers. Basically, this car is hot and rivals much more pricey convertibles.

The pure enjoyment of driving a straight-up sports car is something every driver should experience. We spent a week behind the wheel of a 2013 MX-5 Miata and enjoyed every minute of it! Since the two-seater entered the marketplace more than 20 years ago, the MX-5 has defied the convention that sports cars, particularly convertibles, were pricey, unattainable flights of fancy reserved for those with deep pockets.

EXTERIOR

Affordable, exceptional, tuned to produce driver happiness and the new for the 2013 model year is the Club trim level. Replacing the Touring trim of previous model years, the Club offers consumers the no-nonsense aggressive appeal seen in previous special edition versions but within a more affordable price realm. The 2013 MX-5 features an updated style from outside in. All trims receive a fresh new front fascia. Fog lights are now standard on Sport models, and Grand Touring vehicles receive a new 17-inch alloy wheel design. The most significant modification, however, involves the all-new Club trim that we tested, which subsequently replaces the Touring trim and is situated between the entry-level Sport and luxury-loaded Grand Touring.

With the Power Retractable Hard Top-equipped (PRHT) Club models, distinctive exterior characteristics abound. Dark gunmetal 17-inch alloy wheels – previously featured on 2012 MX-5 Special Edition models – are now standard, as are black-colored details such as outside mirrors, head lamp bezels and rooftop. This blacked-out look really set off our true red exterior and stood out on the road. A front air dam and rear diffuser are now included, as well as the seat back bar garnish now displayed in a glossy dark gray motif. For Club models like ours that are equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, the Suspension Package also is included, with specialized exterior “Club” graphics and badges rounding out the finishing touch to fashion an attractively bold MX-5 look.

INTERIOR

The carefully crafted interior of the 2013 MX-5 Miata Club might be as sharp as the sculpted exterior. Available on Club and Grand Touring trims only, the PRHT is stored in the same manner as the soft top, again not affecting storage space. Designed to perform in any climate, PRHT models outsell soft-top models by a 4:1 ratio worldwide. Using a single-button operation, the PRHT offers one of the fastest power-operated opening-and-closing cycles for a hard top in North America at a highly efficient 12 seconds – faster than the never-convenient red-light-green-light pause. Our test model was equipped with tilt leather steering wheel, rear center console with storage, remote keyless entry system, leather shift knob, trip computer and smartly centered dashboard.

PERFORMANCE

As tested with its edgy characteristics, the standard manual transmission adds another gear stroke to six as well as a shock tower brace. The now-standard Suspension Package (MT only) includes a sport-tuned suspension, Bilstein shocks and a limited slip differential. When fully-equipped and topped with a PRHT, the MX-5 still weighs a corner-hugging, road-tossing 2,619 lbs. The continued weight savings can be found in the form of aluminum – in the hood, trunk lid, foot control arms, rear uprights and rear calipers. The MX-5’s unibody makes widespread use of high-strength and ultra-high-strength tensile steel, which increases body strength while decreasing weight.

The sturdy MZR 2.0-liter engine has an aluminum block and head, the exhaust manifold is crafted from lightweight tubular steel (instead of cast iron) and the intake manifold and cam cover are constructed from lightweight composite plastic. Combined with its track-proven suspension and responsive power, the rear-wheel-drive roadster is a lightweight only in pounds and not street prowess. Fuel economy is also a plus coming in at 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg in highway driving for a combined 24 mpg. The handling of the 2013 MX-5 Miata Club is truly exceptional, while the beefed up suspension absorbs the road well while eating up tight corners!

All models of the 2013 MX-5 Miata include advanced safety features such as dual front airbags with a passenger deactivation switch, side impact airbags, side impact door beams, three-point safety belts with pre tensioners and force limiters, an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), a Traction Control System (TCS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

OVERVIEW

Overall, the 2013 MX-5 Miata Club continues to personify a perfected balance, inside and out. From its long, lean body (which features a supplely rounded yet edgy tone), to its snug yet comfortable interior (which focuses on the seat behind the wheel), everything is geared toward the joy of driving. And although a convertible, not all top-down breezes are created equal. It’s pretty impressive that the folks at Mazda can put out a product like this for a price of $29,260 as tested. This car is pure fun with the top up or down, as swagger comes in all sizes!